In 2018 a senior official from inside the Trump administration wrote an anonymous op-ed in the New York Times attacking the President saying he is unfit for office and that there is a resistance from the inside.
The author of the op-ed also wrote a book released last year titled “A Warning,” where she claimed to be part of a group of “fellow Republicans” resisting Trump from the inside of his administration.
White House aides conducted an exhaustive investigation to uncover who the ‘anonymous’ writer was and they revealed to Real Clear Investigations how they did it.
Officials inside the White House believe that former deputy national security adviser, Victoria Coates is “anonymous.”
President Trump demoted Coates only four months after he promoted her after rumors were spread that she was Anonymous however, White House aides for months have been working to get to the truth.
Real Clear Investigations explain how aides identified her:
The multiple sources interviewed by RealClearInvestigations either participated in the investigation of Coates or have direct knowledge of it. They spoke only on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter. They say their evidence exposing Coates includes the following:
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Computer textual analyses revealing strikingly similar language, turns of phrase and historical references by both Coates and Anonymous.
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Firsthand accounts by Anonymous of events witnessed only by Coates and a small number of others, the latter of whom were ruled out as suspects.
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Hawkish foreign policy views held by Anonymous, many of which have been rejected by Trump.
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The fact that Coates and Anonymous share a high-profile Washington literary agent with an author roster of disaffected ex-Trump officials.
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Coates’ long history of writing anonymously, and
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Personal details revealed by Anonymous that are consistent with Coates’ biography.
The White House has decided not to make a public spectacle of Coates and has removed her from the National Security Council and has reassigned her to Saudia Arabia working for the Department of Energy.
According to White House investigators, the book Coates allegedly wrote did her in because of the examples she gave.
Anonymous is a woman, the investigators deduced, noting the author’s disapproving remarks alleging a Trump habit of addressing accomplished female professionals as “sweetie” and “honey.” The official’s area of responsibility was, like Coates’, national security and foreign policy — with expertise on Syria, Iraq, Iran, Israel and other Mideast hot spots. The book’s author claims to have been present, as Coates was, at many White House meetings, including with the president. The author shows an insider’s understanding of the workings of the NSC and, most telling, started work during Trump’s presidential transition, as Coates did.
“That gave her away,” another source involved in the investigation said. “She was in those early meetings and briefings. That put her high on the suspect list.”
Investigator then used authorship recognition tools looking at all of the past writings Coates has done as well as her preference to write anonymously.
Another giveaway that Coates was the culprit was her reference to “First Principles.” Coates used to write speeches for Senator Ted Cruz who spoke about the importance of “first principles” held by the founders. Anonymous cared deeply about these principles and mentioned them in her New York Times op-ed.
The investigation done by White House aides was incredibly in-depth and if you would like to read more about how they exposed Coates you can click here.
Coates has not denied or admitted to being anonymous however, she has lawyered up and is not making any public statements.
